Dispenser package



March 20, 1962 c. M. PHlPPs 3,025,952

DISPENSER PACKAGE Filed April 7, 1960 United States Patent @lince 3,25,952 Patented Mar. 20, 1952 3,025,952 DISPENSER PACKAGE Cornelius M. Phipps, Wheaton, Ill., assignmto Plastollm, Inc., Wheaton, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 20,586 1 Claim. (Cl. 206--42) The present invention relates to a package for particulate objects such as, for example, small screws, nails, buttons, etc. -In the merchandising of small quantities of such objects, the general practice is to package them in containers with removable caps or in flexible bags. The cost of such containers may add substantially to the selling price. Furthermore, the containers often will require special packaging for shipment and the use of shelf-type display racks at the point of sale which racks may not be particularly desirable to the store or other vendor.

From the viewpoint of the purchaser, flexible bags are not the most desirable package because unless all of the contents of the package are utilized, the bag does not proa vide a suitable means for storing the remainder of the objects purchased. The contents are apt to spill and become lost. The purchaser prefers to have ra package which can be readily opened and closed to remove objects therefrom as desired, with the package at the same time forming a storage container at such time as the objects are not needed.

I have devised a novel package for particulate objects of the general type mentioned which is relatively inexpensive to produce and has numerous advantages as cornpared to the packaging devices presently in use. As the lled package is purchased by the consumer, it may be completely closed but provided with a tear-out which may be removed by the purchaser to obtain access to the contents. However, the structure is such that the removal of the tear-out by the purchaser does not thereafter cause the package to be always opened, but the package may be manipulated by the purchaser in a manner -so as to open and close the storage compartment or compartments as the purchaser desires. A simple, easy turning movement is all that is required to obtain access to the one or more compartments with which the package may be provided.

The package may have only one compartment where only one object is being sold or may have a plurality of compartments each separately holding different but related objects which the prchaser may wish to buy all at one time. Access to each compartment is individually obtainable at the desire of the purchaser or user.

The components of the package I have devised are inexpensive to produce. Likewise, the process of assembling the components into a finished package is simple, inexpensive and readily `adapted to be performed by an automatic machinery. Despite `these facts, the finished package is sturdy and most attractive in appearance.

The package is particularly suited for display in a store on the extending prong Vor rod-like arms of display racks, which are presently widely used for holding and displaying small envelopes or packages of articles. Thus the display of the packages is compatible with what the store owner is using. The consumer can examine the rack for the particular size or type of objects that he desires to purchase and after having made his selection, can remove one of the packages and deliver to a sales person for completion of the transaction. After the purchaser takes the package home, he may use a similar rod or hook for easily stoiing the package before and `after he has taken a portion of the contents out of the package.

. Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective View of an embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is'an elevational view of the reverse side of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken at line 3 3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a view of the package of FIGURE l as seen along line 33, but with the compartment of the package rotated to an alternative position;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of the front side of an alternative embodiment with the compartment rotated to the dispensing position;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of an alternative embodiment;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational View of the compartment wheel of the embodiment of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a partial section as viewed along line 8 8 of FIGURE 6.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 4 cornprises a mounting board generally 10 on which is rotat ably mounted a product container generally 1l. Board 10 is formed of two sheets 12 and 13, respectively, which areA cardboard or the like.

Sheet 12 is substantially a solid sheet with a portion thereof being perforated along line 15 which is contiguous with a cut line 16. Lines 15 land 16 define a tear-ou-t portion 17 of which the part defined by cut line 16 forms a tab for easy removal. As subsequently described, access is obtained to the compartment of container 1'1 through an opening `18, which remains tafter the tear-out portion 17 has been removed.

Container '11 includes a flat annular flange 2l) which is sandwiched between boards 12 and 13. A semi-cylindrical compartment portion 21 of container 11 extends through the circular opening 22 in board 13. One side of compartment portion 21 is cut off by a side wall 23 to provide space within flange 20 for a closure plate 24. Plate 24 lies -in the ysame plane as flange 20 and actually fo-rms an extension thereof between the flange and the side wall 23.

In the preferred embodiment, container 11 is formed of a molded plastic. rl`he specific plastic employed will depend upon the preferences of the particular manufacturer and any of the commonly used plastics may be employed, e.g. polyvinyl chloride. Preferably, it is Itransparent so that the contents of .the compartment portion 21 may be viewed through it, however, it may be variously colored and decorated as well as clear. Finger recesses 25 may be molded therein to 'aid in grasping the container `11 and/ or to provide a pleasing appearance.

Before assembling, the cardboard sheets 12 and 13 are die cut to provide openings 14 and 22, as well as the perforated and cut lines 15 and 16, respectively. Compartment portion 21 is inserted through opening 22 in sheet 13 and positioned with its open side, as defined by ilange 20, upwardly. The product to be packaged is inserted within the compartment portion 21. Thereafter, sheet 12 is positioned over flange 20 and against sheet 13 and is suitably secured to sheet 13 as by means of an adhesive. The adhesive should not extend in-to the areas of sheets 1'2 and 13 that are occupied by flange 20. Flange 20 should be free to turn between the sheets and obviously this would be impaired by the presence of an adhesive in those areas.

The sheets are pressed together and the por-tion of sheet 13 surrounding flange 20 is bent slightly away from sheet 12 as illustrated at 26. -In some instances, it may be preferable to pre-form this bend during the die cutting operation.

As seen as sheets 12 and 13 are bonded together to form a single board 10, the packaging operation is cornpleted and the package with the product therein may be 3 boxed for shipment. Upon receipt by the dealer, they may be hung on `a rod 23 of a suitable display rack` After being purchased by the user, the user will open the package by inserting a fingernail into cut line 16 to grasp and remove tear-out portion 17.

Container 11 is then rotated to a position at which closure plate 14 no longer overlies opening 18. Such a position is illustrated in FGURE 4 (and in FIGURE 5, which illustrates an alternative embodiment). By turning opening 18 downwardly, the product in compartment Z1 may he shaken out or made to fall out of opening 18. Thereafter, container 11 is rotated so that closure plate 24 is over opening 18 as illustrated in FIGURES l and 3 to prevent any accidental displacement of the remaining product of compartment 21. If objects are to be replaced within compartment 21, container 11 is again rotated to uncover opening 1S and the objects to be replaced are dropped through that opening into the compartment. A further rotation of the container 21 again will close opening 1S.

FIGURE illustrates a modification of the structure of FGURES l-4 wherein a simple stop means is incorporated to limit the rotation of the compartment wheel with respect to the holder. In this modification two cardboard sheets 12 and 13 are employed to form the board which serves as a holder for the container wheel generally 11. Sheet 12 is identical to sheet 12 of FIGURE 1 and has a perforated line 15 and a cut line 16 to form a tear-out 17. However, sheet 13, in addition to having the circular opening 22', has an arcuate extension 30 of opening 22', which extension extends to one side of the circular opening.

Container wheel generally 11 has a flat annular ange 31, a compartment portion 32 and a closure plate 33. These are generally similar to the Corresponding portions of container wheel 11 except that in the FIGURE 5 struc-ture the compartment portion 32 does not have the recesses of compartment portion 21. ln addition wheel 11 has an abutment 34 which is in opening extension and projects outwardly from ange 31, in the direc-tion away from sheet 12.

As in the rst embodiment, sheets 12 and 13 are secured to each other except in the area of flange 31. However, the rotation of wheel 11 is llimited by a stop means formed by the positioning of abutment 34 within the extension 30 of opening 22. As illustrated in FIGURE 5, wheel 11 is in a position for dispensing if tear-out 17 is removed. A counter-clockwise rotation of wheel 11 will bring abutment 34 against the left hand end of opening extension 30 at which position closure plate 33 covers the opening while the removal of tear-out 17' leaves in sheet 12.

The modification illustrated in FlGURES 6-8 demonstrates how my invention may be employed for a package having a plurality of compartments. In this instance, the molded plastic container generally 35 is in the form of a wheel and has a plurality of generally cylindrical compartment portions 36 molded therein. These are positioned symmetrically about the axial center of the container 35, as illustrated by opening 37. In the illustrated embodiment, there are six of the compartment portions, which have been numbered 36a through 361, respectively. Compartnients 36 are inwardly from the edge of the wheel 35 leaving an outer flange 38. At one point in the wheel there is a blank space between adjacent compartments 36 to form a closure area 39.

Two sheets of cardboard 43 and 44, respectively, are aflixed to each other with the ange 38 sandwiched therebetween, but rotatable with respect to the sheets. Sheet 43 has a circular opening 45 sufficiently large to fit about compartment portions 36, and yet leaving a lip 46 to cover a portion of flange 38. Lip 46 is bent out of the pl-ane of the remaining portion of sheet 43 so as to receive flange 3S between the two sheets.

At the center, a two headed pin or rivet 48 passes 4 through sheet 44, opening 37, wheel 35 and a large washer 49 which is under the opposite head of the rivet.

It will be noted that in the embodiment of FIGURES 6-8 wheel 35 is rotatably secured to the mounting board, defined by sheets 43 and 44, both by means of rivet 48 and also by the extension of flange 38 below lip 46 of sheet 43. In most embodiments, it will not be necessary to use both of these structures simultaneously for rotatably mounting lthe container 35 on the mounting board, and one or the other may be eliminated depending upon the preferences of the manufacturer.

1n most instances, the use of ange 3S sandwiched between sheet 43 land lip 46 of sheet 43 should be employed rather than of rivet 48, if one or the other is to be dispensed with. There are a number of advantages to peripherally supporting container 35 rather than supporting it centrally as doesrivet 48. Even with the use of a large washer 49 under rivet 43, the edges of container 35 tend to fall away from sheet 44 without the peripheral support provided by sandwiching flange 38 between the two sheets 43 and 44. If the objects in compartments 35 are quite small, there will be sufficient separation between the peripheral edge of container 35 and sheet 44 to permit those objects to escape with only the central support provided by rivet 48 and washer 49. Furthermore, the use of a rivet and washer involves addi tional parts which require additional manipulation and cost since it is necessary to provide a mounting board of substantially the thickness of sheets 43 and 44 in any event.

Sheet 44 is produced with a perforated line 51 joined to a cut line 52 to provide a tear-out 53 which may be removed to define a dispensing opening in sheet 44. After tear-out 53 has been removed, the mounting board may be tipped so that sheet 43 is down and the objects within the compartments 36 are away from sheet 44. At this time, the compartment wheel 35 may be rotated until the desired compartment, e.g. compartment 36e, is posiu tioned opposite the opening remaining after the removal of tear-out 39. One or more of the objects within that particular compartment may be removed. After tipping the mounting board so that the side of sheet 43 again is down, container wheel 35 is rotated until closure area 39 covers the opening resulting from the removal of 'Lean out 53.

With various modifications of the foregoing disclosure will be apparent to tho-se skilled in the art. For example, the mounting board sheets 12 and 13, and 43 and 44, have been described as being formed of separate sheets. It will be apparent that these could be initially cut from a single sheet which, after the appropriate openings are provided therein, is folded across its center to provide the? double thickness supplied by the described sheets 12 and 13 and 43 and 44. The size, shape and number of the compartments on thecontainer wheel will depend upon the needs and preferences of the product packaging or sales concern.

Although the foregoing disclosure offered for public dissemination is detailed to insure adequacy and aid un derstanding, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of the patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein, no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions or further improvements. The following claim is intended as the chief aim toward this purpose, as it is this that meets the requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

I claim:

A dispenser package comprising: a mounting board having a face with a given width and height; said board having an opening therethrough, intersecting said face and substantially smaller than said width and height; a holder having an annular flange portion in juxtaposition with said face with said opening lying within the periphery ofl said flange, said holder having a face portion secured toy 5 said ange and positioned in juxtaposition to said face of said board, said face portion describing an area larger than the area of said opening, another portion of said holder defining a closed compartment open only at said face of said board and projecting outwardly of said flange in the direction away from said face of said board, and an abutment on said flange and projecting in said direction from said iiange; and a second board having a circular opening therethrough of a diameter larger than the size `of the inside of said flange and smaller than the periphery of said flange, said board having an arcuate shaped extension of said yopening about a portion of the circular periphery of the opening, said second board being secured to said face `of said first board with said flange rotatably positioned between the two, said compartment projecting through said opening in the second board vand said abutment projecting through said arcuate extension of said opening to limit the rotatable movement of said holder, said arcuate extension being positioned so that the limited rotatable movement includes two positions, at one of which the compartment is in registry with the vopening in the rst board and at the other of which the irst portion of the holder is in registry with the opening in the first boardA References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,813,624 Phipps Nov. 19, 1957 2,878,061 Saeks Mar. 17, 1959 2,899,046 Cox Aug. 11, 1959 2,931,494 Pfohl Apr. 5, 1960 2,971,638 Allison et al Feb. 14, 1961 

